I hope you survived Week 1. If you lost this past week, remember it’s only one week. We will adjust as the season progresses. That is how you make more money in DFS and win more in your season-long leagues. Learn and modify, learn and adjust, adapt or die. In this case, adapt or lose.
A friend of mine once told me, “Experience is the best teacher. But, unfortunately, it’s also the cruelest” With that in mind, remember every failure in fantasy football; life is a lesson you get to take the next day.
Enough about philosophy and more about fantasy football; let’s get this thing started.
This column can help you handle some sit/start questions you might have, but its primary purpose is to take you through the main DFS slate weekly with players that will make you money and players that will break your heart.
Here is a brief definition of each of my terms for anyone that might be new:
💰 Money Maker – This player will perform better than expectations
💔 Heart Breaker – This player will perform lower than expectations
💰 Money Makers
Quarterbacks
Carson Wentz
Wentz opened his Commander’s career in a big way, with 313 passing yards and four passing touchdowns on 41 attempts. HUGE volume! I had him as a starter in my other article. This week he gets the Lions. This Lions’ defense gave up 243 yards passing and 90 yards rushing to Jalen Hurts in Week 1. Wentz and his team should be in command in Week 2
$5,800 on DraftKings
$7,400 on Fanduel
Derek Carr
This week Carr gets to play the Cardinals’ nonexistent defense. The Cards got shredded last week by Patrick Mahomes. I know Carr is not Mahomes, but last week he threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns against a Chargers defense that is very good. Look for some numbers this week from the Raiders.
$6,200 on DraftKings
$7,300 on Fanduel
Matt Ryan
Do you know who threw the ball 50 times last week? Matt Ryan did. He turned all that volume into 352 yards and one touchdown. In Week 2, he plays the Jaguars team that gave up 313 yards and four touchdowns to Wentz in Week 1. I like Ryan in Week 2.
$5,500 on DraftKings
$6,800 on Fanduel
Other quarterbacks for Week 2
Marcus Mariota
$5,600 on DraftKings
$7,300 on Fanduel
Matthew Stafford
$6,300 on DraftKings
$7,600 on Fanduel
Tom Brady
$6,400 on DraftKings
$8,000 on Fanduel
Running Backs
Saquon Barkley
Barkley showed us that he is healthy and loves his new offense in Week 1. The Giants used their best offensive weapon often. Barkley racked up yards rushing (164) and caught passes (6 receptions for 30 yards), and he topped it off with one touchdown. Barkley had a 33% target share. That was last week, though. This week he gets to feast on a Panthers defense that was shredded by the Cleveland Browns running backs in Week 1. They gave up 187 yards, one touchdown rushing, another five receptions, 26 yards, and a touchdown receiving. Barkley is back!
$7,300 on DraftKings
$8,800 on Fanduel
Antonio Gibson
Two weeks ago, Gibson was looking like a special teams player. Then a Tonya Harding-like event happens, and he is the starter again. Gibson gets a Lions team that the Eagles ran all over in Week 1; they gave up the fourth most points to running backs. He also got a lot of looks in the passing game; he had a 22% target share. He is going to run; he is going to catch, and he is going to score fantasy points for you in Week 2.
$6,200 on DraftKings
$7,400 on Fanduel
Josh Jacobs
Jacobs was MEH in Week 1. You may have regretted playing him. Every week is different in the NFL season. The Cardinals gave the second most fantasy points to running backs in Week 1. The Raiders play the Cardinals in Week 2. Are you picking up what I am putting down? Look for Jacobs to score in Week 2.
$5,800 on DraftKings
$6,600 on Fanduel
Other Running backs for Week 2
Jonathan Taylor
$9,900 on DraftKings
$10,000 on Fanduel
Javonte Williams
$6,500 on DraftKings
$7,300 on Fanduel
Leonard Fournette
$6,700 on DraftKings
$7,800 on Fanduel
D’Andre Swift
$7,000 on DraftKings
$8,200 on Fanduel
NOTE: Everyone will be playing Dameon Pierce. I love him in cash games, but I will avoid him in GPP contests.
Wide Receivers
Cooper Kupp
All the way up with Cooper Kupp! The Falcons were terrible against the Saints’ wide receivers in Week 1. They gave up a total of 212 total yards and two touchdowns to the Saints wideouts. Meanwhile, Stafford will throw to Kupp no matter what; he targeted him 15 times in Week 1. Double coverage doesn’t matter; triple coverage doesn’t matter; just keep throwing to my breakfast buddy. WHY? Because it works. Kupp had a 37% target share and 87% catch rate and caught 13 of those passes. So if I am paying up anywhere in DFS Week 2, it’s Kupp.
$9,900 on DraftKings
$9,700 on Fanduel
Michael Pittman Jr.
Pittman loves his new QB. He was the fourth-highest-scoring wide receiver in Week 1. Pittman had a 26% target share in Week 1. This week he plays against the Jaguars team that gave up four touchdowns to opposing wide receivers in Week 1. Pittman is looking good to score one or maybe even two touchdowns in Week 2.
$6,700 on DraftKings
$7,800 on Fanduel
Curtis Samuel
Samuel is healthy. He is someone that was a significant waiver addition after Week 1. The Commanders are playing the Lions in Week 2. The Lions gave up most of their yards to AJ Brown in Week 1. Samuel had a 24% target share in his first week back to active football, so Wentz looks for him often. I like Samuel to get some volume as a receiver and potentially do some damage running the ball in Week 2.
$4,600 on DraftKings
$5,700 on Fanduel
Other Wide Receivers for Week 2
Diontae Johnson
$5,800 on DraftKings
$7,100 on Fanduel
Donovan Peoples-Jones
$4,400 on DraftKings
$5,800 on Fanduel
Kendrick Bourne
$4,000 on DraftKings
$5,000 on Fanduel
Amon-Ra St. Brown
$6,500 on DraftKings
$6,900 on Fanduel
NOTE: So many good wide receivers I like this week. Ja’Marr Chase is also someone I would pay up for; just running out of space.
Tight Ends
Mark Andrews
Andrews had the highest target share of a tight end in Week 1 with a 24% share of the Ravens’ passes. He caught five of those for 52 yards. The Dolphins were tough on the Patriots’ tight ends last week, but this is Andrews. Look for another five catches for 53 yards and a TD as he gets more involved.
$6,400 on DraftKings
$7,400 on Fanduel
Dalton Schultz
After Dak Prescott went down, Schultz’s targets went up. He ended the day with nine targets for six receptions and 62 yards. Probably my favorite tight-end play this week. He closed Week 1 with a 22% target share which was third behind Andrews and Travis Kelce.
$6,200 on DraftKings
$5,600 on Fanduel
Zach Ertz
The Cardinals play the Raiders in Week 2. The Raiders struggled against Chargers tight ends in week 1. The Chargers’ tight ends totaled six receptions for 78 yards and a TD against the Raiders in Week 1. Ertz only had 11% targets share in Week 1, but he scored. He is healthier for the Week 2 game. I am more than OK with rolling him out for another TD in Week 2.
$4,500 on DraftKings
$5,200 on Fanduel
Other Tight Ends for Week 2
Taysom Hill
Only QB Eligible at $4,400
$6,200 on Fanduel
Tyler Higbee
$4,200 on DraftKings
$5,300 on Fanduel
Kylen Granson
$2,600 on DraftKings
$4,700 on Fanduel
💔Heart Breakers
Quarter Backs
Jameis Winston
Tampa Bay is up in Week 2. If you follow me, you know I love Winston. Well, he will break your heart in Week 2. Tampa was pretty tough on the Cowboys in Week 1. You probably aren’t playing him in season-long leagues. Don’t play him in DFS as well.
Daniel Jones
New coaches, new offense, healthy Barkley. Still YUCK. This week he is playing a good Panthers defense which was scorched on the ground last week. The Giants’ offense will go through Barkley in Week 2. This passing game is making me ill.
Joe Burrow
Joe was in this portion of the article last week too. He threw four interceptions and was sacked seven times, he still had a good day, so I was wrong. You are playing him in season long, but the Cowboys held Brady in check. Look for Mixon to carry the day. He will probably throw four touchdowns now, all to Chase.
Running Backs
Cam Akers/Darrell Henderson
I feel bad if you drafted him as a starting running back on your season-long team. This is probably a no-brainer, as he played horribly in Week 1. Sometimes I need a gimme just like everyone else. Henderson will lead this rushing attack in Week 2 just like he did in Week 1. Don’t play Henderson in DFS as well. No Rams running backs in DFS this week.
Rex Burkhead
Un-Sexy Rexy was productive in Week 1. The Broncos were tough on the Seahawks’ running backs in Week 1. Rex was someone people added off the wire this week. That doesn’t mean you should go nuts playing him in DFS. You might get a few more weeks of him being useful in season-long, though, which is not bad.
Alvin Kamara
Kamara had a crappy Week 1. Taysom Hill dominated the run game on four carries. Winston only targeted him four times in the passing game. If you have him in season-long, you are playing him but in DFS, just stay away. My stomach is getting queasy.
Wide Receivers
Brandin Cooks
He is the primary guy in the Texans’ passing game. He is one of my favorite floor play guys in season-long. I am playing him in season-long leagues, by the way. In DFS, there are just too many better options this week. I love his 33% target share and all he does; I don’t want him in my DFS lineup.
Giants Wide Receivers
You can name them if you want. I don’t want to play any of them in Week 2. This is the Saquon Barkley show. I love him, and I do not love anybody catching the ball for the Giants. Yuck, yuck, and more YUCK. Wan’Dale Robinson and Kadarius Toney have broken my heart so early in the season.
CeeDee Lamb
He saw 11 targets, and he turned that into two receptions for 29 yards. I just threw up, not the usual in my mouth but all over my table. So, that is an 18% catch rate on a 27% target share. Good thing I have a bucket. BLAAAHHHHHHH.
Tight Ends
Kyle Pitts
As mentioned last week, I love Pitts in season-long. He had a tough Week 1; I said that would be the case here in this column. The Rams are bad against wide receivers but good in the middle of the field. For Pitts to have any success, they will have to line him up more outside. I hope they do. The season gets easier after this.
Hayden Hurst
Hurst saw eight targets in Week 1, with a bunch of people jumping on the bandwagon. The Dallas defense isn’t as horrible as it seems. I like the Bengals’ offense to flow through Mixon and Chase in Week 2. Look for Hurst as a complimentary piece, but nothing worth playing in DFS.
NOTE: So many bad or iffy tight ends. I could write about them all day in this section. If you are wondering who to play at tight end in DFS this week, the answer is Dalton Schultz in the main slate.
Thanks for checking out Money Maker and Heart Breakers. For more great content from The Undroppables, follow us on Twitter and @MikeReedyFF for more great content.
